


A Helping Hand

by Pi (Rhea)



Category: Persona 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-23
Updated: 2011-11-23
Packaged: 2017-10-26 11:36:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/282576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhea/pseuds/Pi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Media can't fix everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Helping Hand

**Author's Note:**

> For kink bingo mini-challenge prompt fest, Cypher's request for _"Hand fetish fic or art featuring a boxer/brawler type character! Possibly there is also a little body alteration/injury going on here? Battered/bruised knuckles, that one finger that won't quite straighten anymore, you know."_...turned out perhaps more h/c than full kink but, hopefully ya'll like it.

Media is one thing, but spells can't treat everything. Mitsuru knows this well enough herself. The rush of energy that comes with the spell keeps them all going, late into the dark hour, but when Mitsuru gets ready for bed she can still feel the pull of bruises.

She's surprised she hasn't thought of this before. Akihiko is sitting at the dining room table with the medical kit. It's late, Mitsuru should already be in bed, but she's glad she wandered downstairs.  
"Akihiko." He startles at the sound of his name, but doesn't turn more than his eyes toward her, concentrating on his task, "Are you alright?"  
Akihiko rips the tape with his teeth and puts it down. "I've been worse," He answers. When Mitsuru holds out her hand she can see Akihiko restrain a sigh. He rests his hand over hers anyways. Mitsuru sits down to inspect his fingers.

She'd never before considered the penalties of being one of the teams heavy hitters. Minato's not physically strong for all he's magically powerful, Junpei has his bat to rely on, not his own flesh, and Mitsuru wields a deadly saber. It's Akihiko who confronts shadows with his hands. Well, his hands and the wicked beast fangs, but even so the impact of hitting shadows even so equipped must be difficult.  
"Do you need any help?" Mitsuru asks. Akihiko fiddles with a tube of arnica.  
"I can generally see to myself." It's not an answer.  
"How often is this a problem?" Mitsuru asks sharply. Akihiko shrugs.  
"Fighting shadows we all get a little bashed up."  
"True, but you can ask for help." Mitsuru scolds gently. She tugs the tube of ointment from Akihiko's fingers. "So, I'll help you with that." She carefully unscrews the cap and pushes a dab onto her fingertip. Akihiko's hand is warm in hers as she works the ointment against his knuckles. She can see that the skin is tender under her fingers, but Akihiko objects, "You don't have to be gentle with me, I did get this from punching a tower in the face." Mitsuru laughs a little and firms her grip.  
"Just tell me if I'm hurting you." They're silent for a while. Mitsuru digs her thub into Akihiko's palm, messaging out the tension. It was odd to think of someone's hands as being tense, but Akihiko's are. Akihiko's fingers twitch involuntarily then he relaxs his hand with a sigh.  
"Thank you." his voice is soft. Akihiko makes to draw his hand away, but Mitsuru keeps it firm within her grasp. She doesn't watch him, just concentrates on smoothing out the skin. She gently messages across his hand, noting the roughness of calluses. Akihiko doesn't try to take it back. Eventually she lets go and motions for his other one. It's late, but Mitsuru takes her time being thorough, rubbing in the arnica, and taking care of Akihiko's hands.

"Hey," Akihiko says after several minutes pass with Mitsuru only running her fingertips over Akihiko's palm. "Mitsuru?"  
"Yes."  
"You should probably go to bed." Mitsuru nods, but she doesn't stop. Looking up she catches Akihiko's eye.  
"Next time you're hurt, tell me. I'll help. We appreciate how hard you fight and it's unfair for any of us to bear the burden of shadows alone." Mitsuru leans down and presses a brief kiss to Akihiko's palm. For a moment neither of them move, Akihiko watching her and Mitsuru studying his face through her eyelashes.  
"Thank you," Akihiko's voice is hoarse, but he smiles as he draws his hand away. "I'll remember that." He gets up and leaves, taking the medical kit with him. Mitsuru stays there for a few more moments, just sitting, then climbs the stairs for bed.


End file.
